The Mac-Town Breakers, Mercer University’s very own breakdancing club, prides itself on its freestyle form, not just in the way the members dance, but also in how they conduct their meetings. Rather than teaching people how to break dance through a regimented system of instruction, the officers and veteran dancers teach anyone willing to learn at his or her own individual pace.
The Mac-Town Breakers, or MTB as they refer to themselves as, was founded by Mercer Alum John Smith. Although Smith graduated two years ago, former President and current Vice President of MTB, Kenny Tang, has helped keep the group’s legacy going over his five years as a student at Mercer. Tang is hoping to encourage a much looser, free-form style of learning this year and all years to come.
“We teach the basics or what anyone wants to learn. We try not to be organized. We want to get a crew together and have fun,” said Tang.
Because dancing is an expression of oneself, MTB feels the way breakdancing is taught within the group should allow similar expression.
“We’re teaching them the basics and then tell them to just go at it. Maybe make their own style,” explained Mac-Town Breakers President, Carl Arquino. “We cover the three basic foundations: standing top rocking, floor work, and freezes and power moves.”
With no set schedule for learning certain moves or routines, not only can anyone join at any time and not be left behind, but the organization encourages the entire student body to attend their meetings, even if they have no intention of taking part in later choreographed performances.
“If you miss the first half of the semester, that’s okay. We will get you up to speed. We take everybody and anybody,” said Arquino.
MTB has a high level of commitment to this laid back approach, as it seems the group exists solely to have fun and express feelings through a stylish form of dancing. Even Freshmen like Avery Lavuz, who has only been on campus for a few weeks now, fits right in with the rest of the crew thanks to the club’s attitude towards their fellow classmates.
“It doesn’t matter how good you are. Just have fun,” said Lavuz, explaining the enjoyable nature of MTB’s meetings. “It also helps build cardio and strength.”
Perhaps more importantly than the Mac-Town Breaker’s fun, open, and expressive meetings is the group’s willingness and desire to spread goodwill through dance with other organizations not only on campus, but off as well.
“D3 [Dating, Desserts, & Dancing]; We do it every year now. We try to target all the dancing groups around Macon to raise money for charity,” explains Tang.
“We even had a group come all the way from Tennessee,” Arquino boasted with an admirable sense of pride.
The Mac-Town Breakers meet every Wednesday and Friday from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Aerobics Room of the University Center. Anyone interested in attending these meetings are more than welcome to show up, learn a few moves and as Arquino puts it, “just dance.”
Braeden Orr
organizationspotlight: Mac-Town Breakers
